Today, Ontarians are awash in data that, if used properly, can significantly improve people’s lives and lead to important innovations. OCAD University’s Visual Analytics Lab (VAL) works with partners to make sense of all this data and put it to its best use. The lab works on projects such as the Care and Cognition Monitor, which collects, structures and visualizes health-care data so that caregivers can better understand and act upon it. It has also partnered with the City of Toronto to help improve registration for the city’s recreation programs. Working with local experts and international partners, VAL also tackles projects about urban and transportation issues, financial services, media, and the entertainment sector – all areas where harnessing big data is essential to spurring innovation.

“City staff work hard to accommodate the huge demand for our city’s popular recreation programs. But our system needs to improve and I want the smart and creative people of Toronto to help us find solutions.”